Fishing tilt



1937. J. E. MILLETT 2 FISHING TILT Filed Sept. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Aug 3, 1937 .J. E. MILLETT 1 2,0897

FISHING TILT Filed Sept. 5, 1934 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Pza*teaa=le Aug. 1937UNITED STATES PATENT o1=m :n

msnnvo nur John E. Minen, Gilman, w. Appllca.tion September 5, 1934,Serlal N0. 742,733 19 Olahm. (01. 43-18l This inventlon relates toflshing devlces and has partl cular reference to llne holding signaldevlces adapted to expose a signal flag or the like concerned comprisesa. pair of pivotally connected sticks, one 015 which constitutes a.supporting member und is adapted to lie horizontally across the hole Inthe ice und the other of which 1s adapted to be vertically disposed inthe hole and has a reel for the line at its lower end, supported underthe surface cf the water so that the line 20 will not freeze. A signaldevice as a. fiag is associabed with the stlcks an(l is adapted to bereleased for movement lnto an elevated signal display posltlon by therotary motion of the reel ca.used by the running out of the line when aflsh takes the bait on the hook.

An ice fisherman usually tends to a considerable number of tllts andoften has to transport them a lon'g dlstance from his home to thefishing place. Hence an object of the present invention is the provisionof an improved form of flshing tilt that can be collapsed or folded intoa compact package so tha.t a number of collapsed tilts will make but asmall bundle free from projectlons and occupy little space.

A further object; of the invention consists in a collapsible tlltwh.ich, when collapsed, is free from projecting parts that are apt tocatch upon parts of another tilt in a handle thereof or interfere withthe compact storage of the tllts.

A Yet further object cf the invention is the disposition of the reel sothat when the tllt is folded the reelis disposed in line with and at oneend of the supporting member of the tilt, the wldths of the reel anal ofsaid supporting member being approximately the same so that the all overwidth of the collapsed tilt ls not materially greater than the width ofthe two sticks of the tilt.

The tilt of the present invention has the sigma] flag carried on the endof a flat spring which, in

the .colldpsed condition of the tilt, lies upon the vertical member ofthe tilt and, when the tilt ls in use, projects beyond the upper end ofthe vertical member and has its projecting end reflexed into an invertedU-form with the fiag end engaged releasably with a latch of thevertica.l

member, said end belng adapted to be pushed.ofl the ltch by mechanlsmoperated by the reel to spring into a. vertical slgnal displayingposltlon.

One of the objects 01 the present lnvention ls to provide a flagsprlnging mechanism so assocl- 6 ated with the reel that there a.re noprojecting parts under the water that are Mahle to be caught by the llneor by weeds und rendered imperative or caused to be operatedaccidentally.

In partlcular an object of the invention is to 10 locate the mechanismtha.t c ooperates with the reel mainly wlthln the body Qof the reel sothat there are no projectlng partS that a.re llalbleto become fouled.

A further object of the invention is the pro- 16 vision of an operatingrod extended between the latch end the reel and erranged to be movedlongltudinally by rotatloh of the reel to elfect the springing of theflag.

A yet further object of the lnvention is the prqvislon of flag springingmechanlsm that is responslve to rotation of the reel in oppositedirectlons so that no partlcular attention has to be paid to theclirectlon o1 winding the llne on the reel.

A further object o1 the invention ls a modiflca(- 25 tion of the till:wherein the supporting member of the tlll: constltutes a. float tosupport the vertical member in elevated position on.the surface of thewater.

A yet further object ls generally to improve the construction of tilts.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tut embodying my invention disposed inoperative positlon for ice flshlng. 35

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tllt of Flg. 1 in 001- lapsed or foldedconditlon.

Fig. 3 ls a, side view of the I;llt of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side v1ew detail with part of the reel ancl tubebroken a.way. 40

Fig. 5 is a perspectlve detail of the latch.

Fig.-6 is a. view similar to Fig. 1 but illustratlng the modification ofmy inventlon adapted for open water fishing.

Fig. '7 ls a. vlew similar to Fig. 6 but wlth the 45 flag In elevatedposition end illustratlng the manner in which the supporting float actsas a. brake to retard the movement of the fish.

Fig. 8 is an elevatlon of the device of Flg. 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan vlew of the device of'Fig. a. 50

Fig. 10 is a. slde elevation of a form cf the device modified somewhatover the constructlon of Fig 6 and adapted for the folding together ofits parts. 55

Fig. 11 is a view of the cum end 01 the reel of all modiflcations.

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail Isaken along line I2I2 of Fig. 6.

5 The fishing tilt illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5 comprises ahorizontal supporting member or stick I6 and a vertical member or stickI8 both preferably being made of wood having about the same thicknessand the member I6 preferably 10 being broader than the member I8. Themember I6 is at least sufllciently broad to provide a. good support forthe tilt. The member I8 is pivotally secured to a side face of themember I6 by suitable means as the screw 20 which is flxed in thetransverse middle cf the member I6 and preferably connects the twomembers sufiiciently tightly together so that there is a substantialamount of frictional resistance to the pivotal movement of the twomembers. The member I8 at one end projects beyond the corresponding endof the member I6 and aI: that end ca.rries a reel 22 that is rotatablymounted on a, screw or the equivalent 24 fixed in and projecting fromthat side o1 the member I8 that confronts the 25 end oi' the member I6.When the two members are folded into parallel relation the reel 22 isthus disposed in line with and at the end of the member I6. The width ofthe reel with its handle 25 preferably is not materially greater thanthe width of the member I6 so that; the reel does not; project harmfullybeyond the sides of the supporting member and hence a number of tiltsmay be stored readily in a compact collection. The outer corners of themember I6 may be cut away as at I6a to provide clearance for the fingerswhen rotating the reel.

The reel is provided with a barrel 26 having outstanding end flanges 21between which the line is wound, the reel being formed of twoComplemental parts secured together at their central webs 30 which areshaped to provide suitable bearing hubs 3I on the screw 24 andcylindrical recesses 32 extended inwardly from the opposite faces. Thetype of reel is not of particular importance excepi: that one having acylindrical recess 32 is preferred.

The signal device cf the tilt comprises a flag 34 which is secured tothe upper end of a flat spring strip 36, which strip is free formovement in a longitudinal direction under stalples or other securingmeans 38 carried by the vertical member I8. The spring strip 36 isapproximately as long as said member I8 and has a reflexed resient lowerend 40 that in the collapsed condition of the tilt underlies andremovably resiliently engages the reel end of the member I8. and thusholds the body of the strip against the surface of the member I8. Foruse the reflexed end 40 is withdrawn from engagement with the end cf themember I8 and the spring strip ismoved longitudinally outward into a.position as illustrated in the dotted liries Fig. 1, which is as i'ar asthe reflexed end 40 will permit. The top end of the strip is providedwith a hook 42 which is adaptecl 05 to engage a downwardly inclinedlatch 44 carried by the member I8- when the strip is bent over into aninverted U-shaped spring-stressed position, as illustrated in the fulllines of Fig. 1. The latch 44 can be of any convenient; construction andas here illustrated comprises a stamping having a pair of spacedupstanding ears 44a providing a vertical slot or grodve \46 between themin which a trip rod, hereinafter to be described,

is guided and held from rotary movement. The

ears have aligned slots 44b preferably, although not necessarily,parallel with the stick I8, and In which the hook 42 of the spring stripis releasably retained.

In the set position o1 the Signal the spring strip 36 is under tensionand when pushed 01! the latch will spring into an upright posltlon, esindicated by the dotted lines, and thereby display its signal flag 34.The mechanism tot causing the disengagement ot the spring strip from thelatch 44 comprises a trip rod 48 ca.rried by and extended lengthwise o!the verticul member I8. Said rod terminates at its upper end in areflexed torwardly-extending projection or cam 50 which is disposedbetween the hook 42 of the spring strip 36 and the body of the member I8which is in and guided for longitudinal movement by the slot 46 of thelatoh 44. A downward movement 01 the rod 48 causes the cam 50 to pushthe hook 42 out 015 the slots 44b in the latch 44 by movement lengthwlseof the strip and against the tension thereof and thus causes the springstrip to spring into an uprlght position due to its inherent reslliency.

The resistance to hook and latch disenga.gement is obtained. byadjusting the length that the spring strip projects beyond the top 01the vertical member I8, the latch disengaging pull of the trip rod 48being less for a long and greater for a short projecting length o! thespring strip. Thus the amount o1 pull on the line that' is required totrip the signal device can be varied within a consid erable range, tosuit the individual user.

The trip rod 48 is longitudinally movable within a tube 52 which a.t itsupper and lower end portions is clamped to the face of the verticalstick I8 by cleats 54 and 56 secured to seid vertical member I8. Thetube 52 extends both above and below the water line and the lower endthereof is terminated a1: the side o! the reel. The tube 52 is adapted1:0 be filled with grease so as to prevent the entrance of water withinthe tube which would be liable 120 freeze and hold the rod 48 fromoperation. The ends of the tube are reduced in diameter to about thatoi' the trip rod so as t0 guide said rod inits longitudinal movementwithout undue lateral movement thereof. The reduced ends also retain thegrease in the tube. The tube also protects the rod from damage. Thelower end of the rod 48 projects below the lower end of the tube and hasan end portion 60 reflexed at righi; angles I:o the body of the rod andslidable under a guide, as a staple, 58 that holds seid end portionagainst swinging movement, the end portion being terminated in the innercup 32 01 the rod.

The reel is provided with a cum member comprising a straight rod 62, seeespecially Flg. 11, thai: traverses the cup 32 near the side thereof andis secured to the reel drum in any suitable manner es by solderlng.

When the trip rod 48 is in elevated position the lowermost end 60thereot is dlsposed further away from the center of the reel than thehigh point ot' the cam 62, that is to say, the m.iddle oi' the cam rod,although the constructlon is such that the end 60 preferably does notfrictionally bear upon the reel to hinder its free rotation. Hence whenthe reel is rota'ted by the puli 015 a fish on the end o! the line theca.m engages and rides over the end 60 and forces the rod downwardthereby causing the trip cam 60 at; the upper end of the trip rod pushthe spring member ofi the latch so that the spring member flies intovertical position and displaya its signal. The arrangement o! the cam 82and the reel and end 80 of the trip rod ls such that the reel operatespractically equally welldn opposite directions o1 rotation to efiect thedownward 5 movement of the rod and the tripping o1 the signal.Prei'erably there is a. sufllcient amount o! resistance to the downwardmovement o1 the rod so that the lowermost end 80 o! the rod byengagement with the cam 62 will hold the reel from rotating due to theweight o1 payed out line so that the line can be Set for a.ny depth andthe reel will hold it-at this setting until a. flsh runs away with theline.

With the arrangement of the operating mechanism herein described theengaging parts between the trip fod and the reel are substantiallyentirely enclosed so that there is no projecting part that is apt tobecome fouled and held from operation, or operated improperly.

The modiflcation illustrated in Figs. 6 through 10 is adapted for opensurface flshing where the tiltfloats Ireely upon the suriace o1, thewater. The construction ls in principle the same as has .been describedin connection with Figs. l through s. In Figs. s, 7 and s, thehorizontal member prevent the vertical member from dropping out 01 theslot if the frictional engagement between the members should besufllcient to hold the two in sei: position. The floating member l8a isalso provided with' a slot 14 extended at right angles tothe slot 68 toallow the passage of the operating rod and lts cum 58 and the flag 84.

The reel and the operating mechanism and the slgnal are or can be thesame as has been heretofore described except that this modification o!the grease tobe 52 is not needed and hence the upper end of the trip rodis guided by a. staple 18 and the lower end by a short tube I8, see Fig.

12, that is' located in an integral boss 80 of the vertical stick I8.The lateral end 80 of the trlp rod is held from swinging movement byoperating in a. slot 82 of sald boss 88. The weight of the reel isadapted to keep the vertical member in vertical position when the tiltis floating on the surface of the water. When a fish attempts to runaway with the line the device tilts in the water, as illustrated in Fig.'7, and the float memher I 6a functions as a brake to check the actionand thus not only to keep the tilt from being dragged too far by thefish but also to ofl'ersuch resistanoe to movement as to cause the flshto be hooked the more securely.

In the constructlon illustrated in Fig. 10 the vertica.l member l8ainstead of belng disconneotible from the float member I5a lt is pivotedthereto at 84 sufiiciently above the top surface of the water to permltthe vertlcal member to be swung lnto parallel relation with the fioat,as illustrated by the dotted lines, the floating member having a slot 86eXtending therein from one end thereof for this purpose.

If desired the fioat member can be provlded with an eyelet 88, see Figs.6 through 9. or other equivalent means by which a llnemay be attached tothe tilt for anchoring it in position.

The wooden parts of the tilt preferably are impregnated or treated witha suitable waterprooflng agent tha.t prevents them from absorbing water.

I claim:

l. A tlshing tilt comprising a. supporting member, a vertieal memberhaving a connection wlth sald supporting member so that the relativeposition of the two members can be modifled, a reel pivoted to the lowerend o! said vertical membar, a signal-carrying spring member carrled bysald vertical member and having a hook at lts upper end, sald verticalmember having a latch adapted to engage sald hook. operating mechanismcarried by said vertical member and extended between said reel and latchfor eflecting disengagement of said latch and hook, and means on saidreel for actuating sald operating mechanism.

2. A flshing tilt comprising a supporting memher, a vertical memberhaving a connection with said supporting member so that the relativeposition of the two members can be modified, a. reel pivoted to thelower end 01 sa.id vertical memher, a signal-carrying spring membercarried by said vertical member and having a hook at its upper end, saidvertica.l member havlng a latch adapted to engage sald hook. operatingmecha-' nlsrn carried by said vertical member and extended between saidreel and latch for eflfectlnz disengagement cf sald latch and hook,sa.ld operating mechanism including a longitudinally movable camassociated with said latoh for moving said hook otl said latch, andmeans operated by seid reel for moving said cam longltudinally.

3. A flshing tilt comprising a supporting-memher. a vertical memberhavlng a connection with said supporting member so that the relativeposition of the two members can be modified, a reel pivoted to the lowerend of said ve1tical member, a. signal-carrylng spring member carried bysaid vertical member and havlng a hook at its upper end, said verticalmember havlng a latch adapted to engage;said hook, operating mechanlsmcarried by said vertical member and extended between said reel and latchfor efi'ecting disengagement of said latch and hook, said operatingmechanism including a longitudinally movable cam associated with saidlatch for moving said hook y oif said latch, and means operated bymovements of said reel in any one of opposite directions of rotation formoving said cam longitudinally.

4. A fishing tiit comprising a horizontal supporting stick a verticalstick dlsposed against one side face of seid horizontal stick and havinga pivotal connectl0n therewith, said vertical stick being extended atone end beyond the end o1 said horizontal stick in the folded conclitionof the tilt, and a reel carried by said extended end and disposed inline with sald' horizontal stick and beyond and adjacent said endthereof.

5. A fishing tilt comprising a horizontal supporting stick a verticalstick disposed against one side face of said horizontal stick and havlnga plvotal connection therewith. sa.id vertical stick being extended atone end beyond the end of said horizontal stick in the folded conditionof the tilt and a. reel carried by said extended end and disposed inllne with said horizontal stick and beyond and adjaoent said endthereof, the axial length of said reel being not substantially greaterthan the width of said supporting stick.

6. A fi'shing tilt oomprising a horizontal supporting stick a verticalstick disposed against one side face of sald horizontal stiok and havinga pivotal connection therewlth, said vertlcal stick being extended atone end beyond the end 01 said horizontal stick in the folded conditionof the tilt, a reel 'carried by said extended end and disposed in linewith said horizontal stick and 5 beyond and adjacent said end thereoi',a signal device carried by said vertical stick and compris- Ing a.resllient spring strip movable lengthwise o! said vertical stripoutwardly from one end thereoi' and having a signal device at its unterend, means for holding said strip in reflexed position to said verticalstick, and reel operated means for releasing said strip.

7. A flshing tilt comprising a. horizontal supporting stick, a verticalstick disposed against one side face of said horizontal stick and havinga pivotal connection therewith, said vertical stick being extended atone end beyond the end of said horizontal stick in the folded conditionof the tilt, a reel carried by said extended end and disposed in linewith said horizontal stick and beyond and adjacent said end thereof, asignal device carried by said vertical stick and comprising a resilientspring strip movable lengthwlse of said vertical strip outwardly fromone end thereof and having a signal device at its nuter end. means forholding said strip in reflexed position to said vertical stick, realoperated means for releasing said strip, said reel operated meanscomprising a longitudinally movable trip rod having a. strip releasingcam at its upper end, and ca.m means associated with said reelengageable with the lower end of said trip rod i'or moving itlongitudinally.

8. A fishing tilt comprising a supporting structure, a releasable signaldevice, hook and latch means for holding said device in an unoperatedposition, a reel carried by said. structure, a trip rod having a, camoperable upon lengthwise movements of said rod to eifeot thedisengagement of said hook and latch, and cam means associated with saidreel for moving said trip rod longitudinally.

9. A fishing tilt comprising a supporting structure, a. releasablesignal device carried. thereby, hook and latch structure for holdingsaid signal device releasably in an unoperated position, a reelrotatable on said supporting structure below said hook and Patchstructure, a, longitudinally movable trip rod carried by said supportingstructure having a cam at its upper end for effecting disengagement ofsaid hook and latch structure upon longitudinal movement of said rod,said rod having a laterally projecting part at its lower end, and cammeans carried. by said reel movable into engagement with said part foreffecting longitudinal movement of said rod.

10. A fishing tilt comprising a. supporting member, a. reel rotatable onsaid supporting member, a signal device having a releasable connectionwith said supporting member, an operating rod longitudinally movablycarried by said supporting member, said reel having a cup-shaped recesswithin its barrel and a cam therein, said rod having a laterallyextended part which projects into said recess in position to be engagedand moved longitudinally of the rod by said cam, and a cam at the upperend of said rod i'm dis-. engaging said ignal device.

11. A fishing tilt comprising a supporting mem .ber, alongitudinallymovable rod carried by said supporting member, said supporting memberhaving a. slot in one end and said rod having a laterally extended partin and movable longitudinally cf said slot, a reel rotatable on saidmember overlying said slot, said reel having a cup-shaped recess withinits-barrel and a cam in said recess, said part ot said rod beingextended into said recess in posltion for engagement by said cum. a.signal device having a releasable counection with said supportingmember, and means 5 a.t the upper end of said rod Ior eflectingdisengagement cf said signal member.

12. A flshing tilt comprising a horizontal supporting member, a verticalmember carried by said supporting member, said vertical member 10 havinga. reel at the lower end thereof, a latch at the upper end thereof, a.spring-urged signal device having a releasa.ble connection with saidlatch, and means extended between said reel and latch for eflecting thedlsengagement of said 15 signal device and latch, said supporting andvertical members being movable relatively to euch other and saidsupporting member being located an opposite sides o1 said verticalmember and constituting a, float which maintains said vertical 20 memberupright an a free water surface.

13. A fishlng tilt comprising a support having a part that extends bothabove and below the water line, a reel carried rotatably by said partbelow the water line, a flsh line carried by said 25 reel. a. signaldevice carried by said part above the water line, latching means fornormally holding said signal device in sei; position, and meansincluding a pull rod carried by said part and located between saidlatching means and reel 30 and tra.versing the water line, said pull rodbeing movable lengthwise by the rotational movement of said reel torelease said Signal means and latching means:

14. A fishing tilt comprising a supporting 35 member, a. vertical memberhaving a pivotal counection with said supporting member and having suchlength as to extend both above and below the wa.ter line, a reel carriedby said vertical member below the water line, a flsh line carried 40 bysaid reel, a normally spring-actuated sigma] device carried by saidvertical member above the water line, a grease-fllled tube alongside ofand attached tosaid vertical member and tra.versing the water line, andan operating member loose 45 in said tube and movable in response to apull on said line to spring said Signal device.

15. A fishing tilt as in claim 14, said tube lying upon a. face of saidvertical member and being composed 015 metal and having reduced endsthat 50 permit the tree Passage and movement 01 said operating memberbut retain the grea.se therein.

16. A flshing tilt having a line-carrying reel below the water line, anormally set spring-antuated signal device above the water line, agrease 55 filled metal tube traversing the water line and having openends that are smaller than the interior o1 the body of the tube toretain the grea.se in the tube and form guide supports, and

an operating member movably enclosed within 60 said tube and extended inboth diret:tions through the ends thereot respectively above and belowthe water line and supported movably in said guide supports, saidoperating member beim; responsive to a pull on the line to spring saidsigma! device.

17. A llshing tilt comprising a Support, a. linecarrying reel on saidsupport, a. trippable signal device on said support including a springstrip having a hool: and a. signal a.t a free end, a. latch 70 carriedby said support adapted to be engaged by said hook to hold said signaldevice in set position. tripping mechanism having a part engageable withsaid strip and operative to move said hook in a direction lengthwise ofsaid strip and 75 against the tension o1 said strip out cf engagementwith said latch, and means for varying the effective length of saidspring strip tbereby 120 vary the resistance to la.tch a.nd hookdisengaging movement.

18. A fishing tilt comprising a. support, a linecarrying reel on saidsupport, a trippable sigma! device on said support comprising a, springstrip having a free end provided with a hook and a. signal. a latch onsaid support releasably engageable with said support to hold said springstrip stressed and said signal device in condition for tripping, meansresponsive to a. pul1 an the llne for moving said hook 01T said latch inthe dlrection of the length of said spring strip and againsl:

the tenslon thereof, and means for varying the eflective length of saidspring strip.

19. A fishing tilt comprising an elongated reel supporting memberadapted to be supported with its lower end submerged, a reel rotatableon the lower end of said member and submerged therewith, a releasablesignal device carried by the upper end of said supporting member, signalreleasing mechanism extended between said reel anti signa1 device, undoperating mechanisn'1 for effecting the operation of said releasingmechanism to release said sigma! device in response to rotation of sa.idreel in any one of its two direutlons of rotation.

JOHN E. MILLE'II.

